Machine for feeding safety-pin shields.



,w. 'A. 'COURTLAND. MACHINE FOR FEEDING SAFETY PIN SHIELDS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. IBM.

Patented June 1, 1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET I Wag @51 Iii S GHQ away, i/

8 1mm, Wcoz w. A. CQURTLAND. MACHINE FOR FEEDING SAFETY PIN SHIELDS.

APPLICATION F|LED FEB. 9.1914.

PzitentedJune 1, 1915 W Zfir i j a l fl W m l m 1/ Q My D 1% 4 l Q I 8 h\ wv vvvvvv v a O 1 IWWWQ Q 0 law. A [w 'd-ll W.'A. COURTLAND. MACHINE FOR FEEDING SAFETY PIN SHIELDS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 19:4.

1,141,1 05; Patented June 1, 1915 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 2%7/22 XI @LQ accompanying LAND, a citizen of the United States,

of invention will appear in modification; Fig.

WILLIAIvI A- COURTLAND, (3F BROOKLYN, NEI V YQE-K, ASSIGNOB, TO AMERICAN PIN COMPANY, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, A COBPGBATION OF CONNECTICUT.

MACHINE FOR FEEDING SAFETY-FIN SHIELDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1915.

To all whom it! a a! Jame/n:

Be it known tl at I, EVLLIAM A. Coverresidthe borough of Brooklyn, county of ing in Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Feeding Safety-Pin Shields, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for feeding safety pin shields or other articles having an irregular contour. In certain types of machines for feeding safety pin shields to the shield-applying mechanisms of safety pin machines, it has been customary heretofore to arrange the shields after they have been withdrawn from bulk so as to deliver them in predetermined order to the safety pins which are successively pre; sented to have shields applied thereto.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide improved means for feeding safety pin shields from bulk in the same redetermlned orderin which they are delivered to the shield-applying mechanism, thereby rendering it unnecessary to prousually interposed between the hopper and shield-applying mechanism. A chute of simple construction and arrangementwhich merely preserves the predetermined order of arrangement effected by the shield-feeding means, serves to convey the shields from the hopper to the shield-applying mechanism.

Certain subsidiary and collateral objects the specification and be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the drawings in which my invention is exemplified in some preferred embodiments. n

In the drawings,-Figurc l is a front elevation ofv one embodiment of my invention, parts being broken away and parts shown in section; Fig. 2 is a vertical section normal to a plan development of the same; Fig. 5 is.

similar to Fig. 2, showing Fig. 6 is. a fragmentary the conveyer ring of this 7 is a plan development a vertical section a modificatlon; front elevation of and contiguousv of the same; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the chute employed in this modification, parts being broken awayand partsshown in section; Fig. 9 is a section on the line 'IXIX, Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a section on the line XX, Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a section on the line XI XI, Fig. 8; Fig. 12 is a section on the line XIL-XII, F i-g. 8.

The present invention contemplates an improved construction for machines for feeding safety pin shields such as that disclosed in Patent No. 1,119,823 granted to Gustav E. Harcke on December 8th, 1914. In the Harcke machine, means are provided for feeding shields one by one from bulk,

but they are not arranged in the predetermined order in which they are delivered to the shield-applying mechanism until after they have passed over a peculiarly formed chute which automatically arranges the shields so that they all assume the same predetermined order. Such a chute is expensive to manufactureand requires consider-. able attention in operation.

One of the main objects of the present invention is to make it unnecessary to provide vide apparatus of any character such as is special apparatus for reversing the arrangement-of shields after? they have been sepa .rately removed from bulk. Accordingly, a conveyer is provided which delivers the shields to the chute all in the same relative disposition. or

contour ofithe shields so-that saidshields- [must assume with respect separately-I order with respect .to their peculiar contour or form. I preferably accomplish this object by means of an annulus which is provided with pockets which fit the from bulk, the relative arrange- '.ment of their branchesis always the same,

so that the chute which conducts said shields to the shield-applying apparatus need only to preserve the predetermined order or arrangement broughtabout by the conveying annulus. l

According to the'present invention, other arts of the Harcke construction are modified or entirely done away with as will appear in the followmg description.

In the einbodimentof my invention shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, thehopper 1 is provided with a sloping floor '2, a partition being provided to separate said hopper into two compartments. The partition 3 is provided with an opening 4 controlled by a gate or shutter 5 which may be raised or lowered by a handle 6 to regulate the quantity of safety pin shields which are allowed to accumulate in the feed chamber 7. Byan inspection of Fig. 2, it will be noted that the bottom walls of the feed chamber 7 converge toward the conveyer or annulus 8, which preferably constitutes a rigid portion of a ring gear.9. As seen, in Figs. 3 and 4, the conveyor annulus 8 is provided around its innerperiphery with a plurality of pookets or recesses 10 which in the preferred form are adapted to receive safety pin shields with their heavier or, in the example shown, their rounded ends lowermost.

- From an inspection of Fig. 4, it will be seen that each of the pockets or recesses. 10 is made narrower at one edge than-the other, their conformation being such as to prevent a safety pinshield entering thereinto unless said shield is suitably-disposed so that its cross-sectional configuration corresponds exactly with the cross section of the pocket or' recess or the opening thereinto. As a consequence, the shields 11 will all be arranged in one and the same predetermined order which in the present em-- bodim'ent is with the longer and heavier branches of the shields to the rear with re spect. to the direction of rotation of the conveyer annulus 8. Ring gear 9 is rotated by a worm 12 on a spindle 13 which is provided at one end with a pulley 14 receiving power from a belt 15. Mounted on' a spindle 16 which is suitably journaled in the front wall of the hopper 1, is a hub 17 from which extend a plurality of yieldable arms 18 which are adapted'to agitate the bulk of safety pin shields within the feed chamber 7 Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that a curved band or plate 19 is arranged above the feed chamber floor on vthe upward travel side of the conveyer annulus 8, the purpose of which is to prevent the shields from dropping out of the p0ckets or recesses during the upward movement of the conveyer. The lower end of said shield or plate 19 is deflected inwardly at 20 to remove all possibility of the longer branch of the safety pin. shield becoming caught. At the same time, the lower end of shield or plate 19 serves to disengage a second safety pin shield which may have become interlocked with a shield in one of the pockets-or recesses 10. Preferably, the shield-retaining plate 19 terminates vertically over the axis about which the pockets or recesses 10 revolve to adapt the shields 11 to be discharged downwardly 'in predetermined position, arranged all in. the same order into the upper end of a chute 21 which conveys the safety pin shields to suitable apparatus (not. shown) for applying them to safety pins. Said chute is made of-suitable cross section to maintain the predetermined arrangement of the. shields 11 as they drop from the conveyer'annulus 8.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 5' to 12 inclusive, the parts are essentiallysimilar to those already described with reference to Figs. 1 to f inclusive. In

this embodiment however, the pockets or recesses 22 are arranged transversely of the conveyer annulus 23 as shown in Flgs. 5, 6

and 7. Furthermore, in this embodiment,.

ferred to in the former embodiment.

' The operation of .my improved machine I will now be readily understood and briefly described, is as follows: Safety pin shields are charged in bulk in the receiving chamber of theho-pper 1, the supply to feed chamher 7 being regulated by the gate or shutter 5. The bulk in chamber 7 is agitated by the flexible arms 18- and during this agitation, numbers of the safety pin shields will assume the predetermined positions in pockets or recesses 10 as already referred to.

As said shields are separately lifted from -.bul.k, and as they begin to reach positions where they would be displaced by gravity,

they are engaged by the guard or plate 19 which at the same time serves to dislodge all shields which may have become interlocked with shields in the pockets or recesses. As each of said shields reaches the upper end of the guard plate 19,'it drops by gravity into the upper end of the chute which maintains the predetermined presentation of the safety pin shields while conducting them to the apparatus for applying them to the safety pins.

' being suitably formed to receive said shields endwlse only when the same ends are presented thereto, and with said branches in predetermined relative positions corresponding to the relative thickness of said branches. I

2. In a machine for feeding safety pin shields of greater width'adjacent one end than the other and of greater thickness along oneedge than the other, a conveyer IVithout entering into a discussion of the receive against provided with pockets suitably formed to hold said shields only when the ends of lesser width are presented to the pockets and only when the edges of lesser thickness are arranged in predetermined relation to said pockets.

3, In a machine for feeding safety pin shields, a hopper, said shields having open and closed ends of different cross sectional areas, the open end of .said shield being of greaterthickness along one edge than along the other, a conveyer provided with pockets adapted to pass into and out of said hopper, the openings into said pockets being intermediate in size to the cross sectional areas at the open and closed ends respectively of said shields and wider on one side than on the other, said pockets being thereby adapted to accommodate the closed ends only of said shields and then only when the legs of said shields are arranged in a predetermined relation to each other.

42. In a machine for feeding safety pin shields of greater width adjacent one end than adjacent the other end and of greater thickness adjacent one edge than adjacent the other edge thereof, a conveyer provided -with pockets suitably formed to hold said shields only when the ends of lesser width are presented toward the pockets and only when the edges of lesser thiclnicss-are arto saiddisposed to,

ranged in predetermined relation pockets, and a chute suitably the shields from said conveyer and suitably formed to retain said shields in their arranged relations.

5. In a machinefor feeding safety pin shields embodying branches of different sizes, a hopper, a-conveyer movingthrough said hopper, said conveyei' being withpockets opening upwardly in a portion of the c'onveyer arranged relatively low in the hopper, the entrances into said pockets beingadapted to admit said shields only when the heavier branchesare all arranged in the same relative direction.

6. In a machine for feeding safety pin shields, a hopper, p a closed end and legs of greater lateral extent-than said closed end, one of said legs being of greater thicknessthan the other, a

conveyer provided with pockets adapted to pass into and out of said hopper,-the openbeing of less lateral extent than the legs of said shields but of greater lateral extent than the closed end ofsaid shields and narrower at one side than at the other to admit the closed ends only of said shields when the legs are arranged in predetermined relation to each other, and shield receiving means adapted to maintain such predetermined arrangement and to convey said shields away from from said pockets.

7 In a machine said pockets being of said P s and with the?" provided said shields each having.

for feeding safety pin shields which are larger at one end than the other and of I greater thickness along one longitudinal edge than the other, a hopper, and a conveyer provided with pockets the entrances into which are contracted. toward one edge and intermediate ins ze to 'the ends of said shields.

mined arrangement of the shields by gravity.

9. In a machine for feeding safety pin shields enlarged in cross sectional area toward one end and also enlarged toward one edge, a hopper, an annulus-. -disposed in said hopper with its lower run relatively low therein, said annulus being. provided with pockets around its inner face into which said shields fall by gravity, the mouths of ably formed to exclude said shields except when their smaller ends are presented to larger edges arranged in the same predetermined order. 10. In a machine for feeding safety pin shields, a hopper and a conveyor traveling through said hopper, said conveyer being provided with pockets having entrances suitably tapered to admit safety pin shields only when their edges of difierent thickness are in a predetermined relation to each other, the same relation to the conveyer with respect to the taper of said entrances, and means for receiving the shields from said pockets, to maintain the predetermined arrangement of said shields.

11. In a machine shields havinglegs of unequal thickness, the combination with a hopper for the shields in bulk, of an annulus rotatably mounted and having inwardly pockets the openings into which are tapered to adapt said pockets to receive the shields only when presented thereto in a predetermined arrangement of the legs of said shields, said openings being arranged in the same order for all said pockets, and means for rotating said annulus.

19;. In a machine for feeding safety pin shields that. are-enlarged toward one edge, a hopper, an annulus disposed in said hop per with its lower run relatively low therein, said annulus being providedwith pockets around its inner face, into which said suitable size and suit-- said receiving means being adapted 7 presented all of said pockets being arranged'in for feeding safety pin shields fall by gravity, the mouths of-said pockets being suitably formed to exclude said shields except when their larger edges are arranged in the same predetermined order.

13. In a machine for feeding safety pin shields embodying branches of diflferent sizes, a hopper, a conveyer moving through said hopper, said conveyer being provided 1 with pockets opening upwardly in a por- 

